August 18, 2022 by Mahesh Gautam
Tesla semi-truck to be launched.
In November 2017, Tesla co-founder and CEO Elon Musk announced plans to enter the commercial transportation industry with the Tesla Semi electric truck. A semi is more than just a truck. This is a zero-emissions cargo-his machine that outperforms conventional oil-his guzzlers in all areas such as range, economy, running costs and performance.
Design of Tesla semi-truck
The Tesla Semi has a unique cab construction and is arguably the cleanest design we’ve seen on a truck. It seems to belong to the future. It has a large wraparound glass area in the front that slopes down the butt. The glass surface is very large and the panel reaches up to the door. Tesla dropped the semi’s wing his mirrors for aerodynamic reasons. Instead, the rear-most camera feeds the internal screen.
Diesel trucks typically have huge grilles to maximize airflow to the large displacement engine. Being an electric car, the Tesla Semi has a covered nose and a relatively small air intake in the chin that cools the battery between the front and rear axles. It is a 6×4 tractor layout with one front axle and two rear axles. The rear compartment houses the cargo bed and trailer hitch.
Musk made key aerodynamic claims for the Tesla Semi, explaining its sleek finish and clean overall design. The track is shaped like a sphere.
“The Tesla Semi has a drag coefficient of 0.36. Better than the Bugatti Chiron with a drag coefficient of 0.38. Aerodynamics give you incredible range. “
Tesla co-founder and CEO Elon Musk unveiled the Tesla Semi & Roadster in 2017.
Specification of Tesla semi-truck
Tesla has not disclosed power and torque figures for the Semi. However, a quad motor setup has been confirmed on the rear axle. The 6×4 tractor body (6 axles, 4 driving wheels) has 4 electric motors at the rear, which can carry large amounts of cargo. With a payload of 80,000 pounds, Tesla claims he can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 20 seconds. A diesel truck would cost more.
With no load, the Tesla Semi accelerates like a mid-range sports car, going from 0 to 100 km/h in just 5 seconds. A normal diesel truck takes 15 seconds, according to the brand’s presentation. Plus, the Tesla Semi can go 60 mph on a 5% incline with a maximum load of 80,000 pounds.
the semis will have the same engines as the Model 3, producing 258 horsepower each. Over 1000 hp in total. Torque figures have yet to be announced, but we know electric cars produce plenty of torque, so expect the Semi’s powertrain to produce his four-digit torque figures.
Cells of Tesla semi-truck
At least one version of the Tesla Semi is said to use 4680 cells. The new cell type is 80 mm long and approximately 46 mm in diameter, hence the name 4680. At Tesla Battery Day 2020, Andrew Baglino, the company’s senior vice president of powertrain and energy engineering, said that compared to the current cell, the 4680 cells have twice the energy and six times the performance, the cruising range is 16% longer.
Tesla will source the Semi’s 4680 cells from Panasonic. Kazuo Tadanobu, the CEO of Panasonic Corporation’s Energy Company, said in an interview with Bloomberg about the company’s 4680 cell. Developing the 4680 “required a lot of patience,” says Tadanobu, especially in designing a completely new shape. The company will start mass-producing batteries starting with 4,680 cells in fiscal year 2024 (April 2023 to March 2024), Bloomberg said in a post-interview report. The first recipient is a current Tesla vehicle.
According to a Reuters report filed on June 1, 2022, Tesla has started receiving samples of Panasonic’s 4680 cells. Tadanobu said the company has created a major pilot line in Japan, with large-scale prototype production starting in May 2022. According to a recent Reuters report filed on June 3, 2022, Tadanobu assesses what Panasonic Corporation claims the United States will choose to do with him to manufacture a 4,680-cell battery. It says it does. Currently, the brand manufactures its pieces at its Wakayama factory in Japan. An earlier NHK story (now deleted) claimed the company could open a US battery factory for Tesla electric vehicles in Oklahoma or Kansas.
Range of Tesla semi-truck
Range is a major concern for truck drivers. Tesla, at least on paper, has addressed range concerns broadly. There are two battery he versions, one with a 300-mile range and another he with a 500-mile range. Energy consumption is said to be very low at less than 2kWh per mile.
500 miles at maximum weight is the best range we can expect from Tesla semi-truck. 500 miles at 60 mph on the highway is the worst-case scenario. Most of the routes are less than 250 miles in length. You can drive to your destination and go home without charging.
The claimed numbers seem reasonable given US truck carrier regulations. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, a truck driver is required by law to take a 30-minute break after he’s driven eight hours. 400 miles is the distance a trucker typically travels in about eight hours, according to Tesla.
Tesla’s solar-powered Mega Charger takes 30 minutes to charge the Semi to a range of 400 miles. So, if the aforementioned range and charging time are correct, the calculation works perfectly without the driver having to wait unnecessarily long for the semi-battery to charge. However, motor journalists and range-testing organizations have yet to review the semi.
In the United States, there is a driving time limit of 11 hours and a duty time limit of 14 hours, including non-driving activities such as unloading. Truck drivers are also required to take a 34-hour break at the end of the week. Failure of a carrier to comply with these rules may result in revocation of driving privileges, penalties, and a reduction in the carrier’s safety rating.
Mega charger of Tesla
The Tesla Semi will have a larger battery that requires longer charging times and faster charging speeds. But Tesla has a solution – the Mega charger. As revealed in its 2020 Impact Report, the brand is building a network of mega chargers at truck rest stops in the US and Europe to make long-distance trips sustainable for truck drivers. doing. I wonder how far Tesla has gotten with his Mega charger network since the report is over a year old for him.
In building its own charging network, Tesla and other automakers asked the U.S. government to invest in charging infrastructure for medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicles such as trucks and buses. These companies hope the Biden administration will allocate his 10% of his EV charging funding to medium and large EV charging infrastructure in his $7.5 billion bipartisan infrastructure bill (signed in November 2021). increase. Most of his existing EV charging infrastructure is designed for passenger car models and vans, so large commercial vehicles need equipment to meet their requirements.
The Tesla mega charger offers high charging capacity and features liquid cooling to handle excess heat generated during the process. Teslarati has received photos of the new version of the mega charger. These pictures show a thick cable (designed to allow coolant to flow around the sleeve) that can handle high current loads.
800-volt electrical system of Tesla semi-truck
Tesla believes it will be costly to move mid- and small-size models such as the Model 3, Model Y and Tesla Robotic from 400-volt architecture to 800-volt architecture. However, during the company’s Q1 2022 earnings conference call on April 20, 2022, Baglino said higher system voltages make sense for large applications like Cyber trucks and Semis.
For larger EVs that require higher charging power, more power from the battery to power the power electronics, or more torque, choosing 800 volts instead of the usual 400 volts Baglino explained that it saves a lot of semiconductors. In addition to consistent high performance and faster charging times, the 800 Volt system reduces cable weight and installation space.
Interior and features of tesla semi-truck
The interior is unique. Because the driver’s seat is centrally located, Tesla says you can see the whole thing through the windshield. Behind the driver’s seat, he also has two folding seats. At either end of the dashboard are two giant touchscreens. Expect these two screens to offer truck-specific features like viewing trailer data, as well as Tesla’s excellent user interface and a range of connections offered in a typical car.
A range of remote control functions are also available thanks to the Tesla Mobile application. Owners have access to communications for remote diagnostics, location tracking, and shipping. There is also a predictive maintenance feature where the system analyzes the condition of the truck and notifies the owner when it is time for service. Fleet owners also have easy access to this vast amount of data.
Safety of Tesla semi-truck
Another area where the Tesla Semi makes big strides is safety. The Tesla Semi is said to come standard with the brand’s Enhanced Autopilot feature suite. The range of safety features includes automatic emergency braking, frontal collision warning and auto lane departure warning. If the Tesla Semi doesn’t sense driver input, it will stay in its lane, slowly and gradually stop, and automatically dial an emergency number.
The Tesla Semi features an improved traction control system to prevent jackknifing. Buckling refers to the abnormal collapse of highly articulated vehicles, such as trailers, due to uncontrolled inertia. Occurs when a heavy trailer causes the truck to turn at an awkward angle, often resulting in an accident. Tesla engineers installed an advanced traction control system that eliminates jackknifing entirely.
Plus, the Tesla Semi’s powertrain is guaranteed to last a million miles. Even with two out of four engines failing, the Tesla Semi can still function and beat diesel trucks in acceleration and range. Musk also claimed that the Semi would not require brake pad replacement. Regenerative braking energy, which recovers kinetic energy and stores it in the form of electricity in the battery, naturally slows the vehicle.
Auto Tire Inflation System of Tesla semi-truck
According to a report by elektrek, Tesla could offer a Semi with an ‘ATIS’ automatic tire inflation system. The company has USPTO clearance for a patent on this technology that can automatically correct tire pressure to keep it at optimum levels. Electrek has looked at the patent filing and says John Furtado has been credited as the inventor of the technology.
ATIS isn’t new technology, but Tesla is improving it. His version of his ATIS significantly reduces airflow pollution. With cleaner airflow, your ATIS will last longer and require less maintenance.
Thermonuclear explosion-proof glass of Tesla semi-truck
The Tesla Semi’s large glass area is no ordinary kit. What comes standard is what Tesla calls “thermonuclear explosion-proof glass.” The CEO says truck goggles are huge, and on average he breaks them once a year. Broken glass makes trucks unusable for drivers due to obvious safety and visibility issues, leading to lost sales and customer inconvenience. Tesla’s thermonuclear explosion-proof glass eliminates these problems.
Price of Tesla semi-truck
Tesla plans to launch the Semi at a base price of $150,000 (300 miles version) / $180,000 (500 miles version). They are currently accepting semi-bookings with a $20,000 deposit.
According to Tesla, diesel trucks are 20% more expensive to run. A Tesla Semi is $1.26 per mile, while the average diesel truck is $1.51 per mile. According to Tesla, the numbers were calculated using 100 miles of travel, an average speed of 60 miles per hour, a payload of 80,000 pounds, 2.50 gallons of diesel fuel, and an electricity rate of 7 cents per kWh. With this, the company hopes to point out that the high purchase price of electric trucks can be recouped by low operating and minimal maintenance costs.
| Tesla Semi price | Value |
| Expected base price (300-mile version) | USD 150,000 |
| Expected base price (500-mile version) | USD 180,000 |
| Base reservation | USD 20,000 |
Pricing of Tesla semi-truck
Production & Release Date of Tesla semi-truck
Elon Musk confirmed via Twitter on August 10, 2022 that Tesla Semi sales will begin this year. The 500-mile variant he will ship in late 2022, followed by a cheaper 300-mile variant when production ramps up next year.
At the Semi’s world premiere in November 2017, Musk announced that production of the Semi would begin in his 2019 year. However, the company was unable to meet his planned SOP schedule. In 2020 he had the COVID-19 pandemic, after which a shortage of semiconductor chips further crippled the auto industry.
That’s all for the new Tesla semi-truck. Stay updated and follow in its socials to get latest information regarding launch and other info of EVs.